"The noise which had aroused us was made by a rolling stone striking a
rock; and looking up I saw some fifty yards away, not in the wood, but
on the rocky hillside on our side of the ravine, a bear standing, as
though unconscious of our presence, snuffing the air. As was natural, I
seized my rifle, cocked it, and took aim, unheeding a cry of 'No, no,
sahib,' from Rahman. However, I was not going to miss such a chance as
this, and I let fly. The beast had been standing sideways to me, and as
I saw him fall I felt sure I had hit him in the heart. I gave a shout of
triumph, and was about to climb up, when, from behind the rock on which
the bear had stood, appeared another growling fiercely; on seeing me, it
at once prepared to come down. Stupidly, being taken by surprise, and
being new at it, I fired at once at its head. The bear gave a spring,
and then--it seemed instantaneous--down it came at me. Whether it rolled
down, or slipped down, or ran down, I don't know, but it came almost as
if it had jumped straight at me.

"'My gun, Rahman,' I shouted, holding out my hand. There was no answer.
I glanced round, and found that the scoundrel had bolted. I had time,
and only just time, to take a step backwards, and to club my rifle, when
the brute was upon me. I got one fair blow at the side of its head, a
blow that would have smashed the skull of any civilized beast into
pieces, and which did fortunately break the brute's jaw; then in an
instant he was upon me, and I was fighting for life. My hunting-knife
was out, and with my left hand I had the beast by the throat; while with
my right I tried to drive my knife into its ribs. My bullet had gone
through his chest. The impetus of his charge had knocked me over, and we
rolled on the ground, he tearing with his claws at my shoulder and arm,
I stabbing and struggling, my great effort being to keep my knees up so
as to protect my body with them from his hind claws. After the first
blow with his paw, which laid my shoulder open, I do not think I felt